you must remember this...

...a kiss is just a kiss...
...a thigh is just a thigh...at least sometimes...
...and a cigar is just a cigar.

While your scenario of swearing on the junk of the master is...interesting...I can't find a definitive answer on that one. Maybe so -- wouldn't be that surprising from a culture/religion that required men to cut off their foreskins as a sign of faith. They seem pretty obsessed with their boy bits -- or is that like a universal "guy thing"?

Hagar served as a surrogate mother for Sarah. Hagar was an Egyptian handmaiden, a servant, we assume a slave. Likely part of the goods Abraham received from Egypt. Sarah gave her to Abraham -- why not, she was a servant, and not all that unusual for the way even non-servant women were thought of as property. But the text does specify that Abraham took her as his wife (ishshah -- same word is used for both Sarah and Hagar in 16:3). This site sees that as significant:

Possibly this indicates that Hagar objected and would only agree to the arrangement if Abraham married her as a second wife; also that might be why Hagar despised Sarah and felt she had a right to keep her own baby.

Now, I too have read that the ancient custom wasn't only for the surrogate to give birth to the baby while reclining in the lap of the adoptive mother (signifying who would legally claim the child), but that the surrogate might also recline in the lap of the adoptive mother during the conception. Not every source agrees about this detail.

But...let's ponder this for moment, shall we?

Rachel brought her maid Bilhah to Jacob, as Leah also brought her maid Zilpah to Jacob. They were already sisters sharing the same husband, and now they are encouraging him to get the maids pregnant, too. Lucky Jacob! Leah wasn't supposed to be as pretty as her sister, but she was likely not that bad, and Rachel was supposed to be a real stunner. So for Jacob...he gets the maid, and his pretty, willing wife is there -- yeah, lots of guys might be okay with that scenario. I think Penthouse publishes letters about that fantasy.

However...let's contrast that with the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. We don't know a lot of details about Hagar, but she was young enough to be assumed to be fertile.

Abraham was 86.

Sarah was 76.

So...if you are an 86 year old man who is presented with a nubile young woman to impregnate -- hooray for you!

But there is no such thing as Viagra in days of yore, there might be a little performance issue -- boo, but hey, might be fun to try!

Now...you are expected to impregnate this winsome young wench who is reclining on the lap of your 76 year old wife -- uh oh.

The weird little scene you presented earlier, where Sarah lustily helped things along? That really was a bit much.

I find it highly improbable that an 86 year old man attempting to accomplish this feat would find his elderly wife's enthusiastic assistance to be helpful. At all.

But...thanks for starting me on truly one of the oddest Bible studies I've ever done! I definitely learned some things I did not know. Always good =)